Local seismicity type of Kuwait revealing tectonic and anthropogenic characteristics

Abstract

This work investigates the characteristics of local seismicity within the State of Kuwait and discusses its potential tectonic and anthropogenic drivers. As Kuwait is an oil-producing country, the occurrence of earthquakes simultaneously with oil extraction may suggest a case of triggered or induced seismicity. Seismic activity inside Kuwait is monitored with high accuracy and continuously after the establishment of the Kuwait National Seismic Network (KNSN) in 1997 through an ambitious plan to study the micro-earthquake activity in Kuwait. This network recorded more than 1378 micro/minor local earthquakes. Two seismogenic areas are identified, both characterized by weak magnitudes and shallow focal depths. In the current work, several modern geophysical techniques are performed including earthquake location, waveform-based moment tensor inversion, moment tensor decomposition, stress drop analysis, and stress pattern assessment. The results suggest that local earthquakes in Kuwait involve tectonic and anthropogenic components. Further densification of the network may allow a robust discrimination in the future.